In Haulin' Trash and Passin' Gas Alan Gravel tells his story of flying the C-7A Caribou in South Vietnam in 1970-71, and subsequent temporary duty tours flying KC-135 Stratotankers in support of air operations over North Vietnam in 1972.
These are the experiences of a young Air Force officer and pilot, fresh out of pilot training, who is sent to Vietnam at a time when the U.S. role in the war was changing, but hostile enemy action and dangerous flying conditions remained constant companions. These are not tales of violence. Instead, Gravel chronicles the everyday life of men caught up in the whirlwind of armed conflict and the stories that make war personal. Haulin' Trash and Passin' Gas delves into the many challenges Gravel faced in Vietnam as he sought to do his duty to both his Country and his fellow servicemen.